Simple Christmas Card in Red and White

This is such a simple, generic card and yet it's elegant at the same time.  So many times when we're creating we like to add as many layers, baubles, and textures as we can conjure up.  I've found, though, with this Detailed Deer, there's not much more needed to recognize the splendor of this design.  I purposely chose to avoid too much texture because I wanted the authenticity of the Christmas season to stand out.  The font of the Word Wishes die, Merry Christmas, captures that sentiment, as well. 
As you are planning your holiday cards, remember they don't need to be complex and time consuming.  Keep it simple sometimes. 

Happy Stamping,
Tammie

What to do with Bird Ballad Cards?

I ordered the Bird Ballad Laser-Cut Cards & Tin way back during our demonstrator preorder in May of this year.  What's a demonstrator preorder(?), you ask.  Well, simply, it's a benefit you receive when you sign up for your Creativity Kit through Stampin' Up!  Once you're a demonstrator you get to order new products a month before they go live to customers.  It's a really cool opportunity to get to play with lots of really neat stuff and share with other demonstrators your ideas as well as get new ideas. Interested?  

Just head to my website by clicking on the catalog to your left.  Click 'Join' and then start assembling your kit.  You choose everything you want and nothing you don't want.  And guess what!  There's no obligation, although once you get your kit and see the world of creativity it opens up for you, you may just want to start exploring.  That's what I did 14 years ago.  It's been a journey that has changed me forever.  I've learned so much, found my inner creative self I never knew existed and met so many wonderful people along the way.  So check it out, explore what you could have in your own personalized kit today.

But back to where I began...I bought this tin of cards and envelopes almost six months ago, and I sat down the other day to accept the challenge of "what do I make with these cards?".  This is what I came up with and it was uber simple!  I adhered a piece of Garden Green card stock to the back of the laser-cut front using Tombow Multipurpose Glue and a sponge.  I grabbed my Dandelion Wishes stamp set and in keeping with my green theme I stamped the large 3 dandelion stamp in Garden Green Classic Ink onto a piece of Very Vanilla Thick Card Stock and ran my piece through the Big Shot using the largest Stitched Shapes Circle Die.  I layered my stamped image onto a piece of Copper Foil cut with the largest Layering Circles Scallop Die.  I popped this up using dimensionals and then added the (oh so pretty) Toile Tidings Enamel Dots (Garden Green, of course) to the centers of my dandelions. These dots have shiny, sparkly glitter inside and they're beautiful!

On the inside of my card I cut another circle using the Stitched Shapes Circle Framelits and stamped my message in our new Copper Delicata Ink.  I layered that onto a piece of Garden Green Cardstock cut out with the Layering Circles Scallop Framelits and glued my message to my card with Snail Adhesive.  Then I used the little seed wisps as accents, stamped in Copper Ink.

Wala, finished!  Easy peasy and so fun!  You should get your own tin (includes 12 cards with coordinating envelopes) and start creating today 😉

Hammered Metal Another Way...for Thanksgiving

With the holidays upon us I'm continuing to design my cards and I want to stress my need to be different, to see things in a different way than "conventional".  Don't get me wrong, I love when things are familiar.  Familiar is comfortable.  But sometimes I just want to push the envelope.  I want to step outside of my comfort zone and try to see things from another perspective.  Hence, my card below.  The colors are really, anything but Fall.  But they're festive and this is what Thanksgiving is to me.  It's a time for my family to gather (which is a rare occasion to get everyone together on one day in one place) and celebrate all that we have.  It's a time for remembrance, reflection, and it's a time to be grateful.  So with that, Happy Thanksgiving to all!  I hope this inspires you to create differently and to celebrate that difference.

                            

This card is made with Night of Navy cardstock for the base and layered with an embossed Hammered Metal piece.  I used the Banner Triple Punch for my DSP (Brightly Gleaming) and Foil (Copper) tags and for my Happy Thanksgiving sentiment (Copper Foil) I used my new favorite die set, Word Wishes.  Do you have this set yet?  It coordinates with A Wish for Everything stamp set and it is a must have in my library of die tools.  I adhered everything with Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive.

Drop me a note to let me know what you think and even better, a picture of something you made that was inspired by my card

Z-Fold Card Easy to Customize

How many of you are loving our new In Colors for 2019?  My faves are Pretty Peacock and Seaside Spray.  I believe Purple Posy will be joining those two once I have an opportunity to sit down and use it.  Long story short I was able to get my hands on it a few days ago as it's been a color that originally had quality issues so Stampin' Up! put a hold on this particular In Color ink until it met our high standards of quality.  Now we're good to go and I'm guessing there'll be no stopping the imagination.  This color is very reminiscent of Almost Amethyst that left us a few years ago and

broke many hearts when it did.  I'll post my Purple Posy projects accordingly.  Anyway, my first card you see is using the beautiful Pretty Peacock and is accompanied by Early Espresso.  The stamp sets I chose to use are Free As a Bird and Here's to Strong Women.  I've customized each of these for my beautiful daughters with regard to color, and impression.  I love this part of stamping THE MOST!  I always am in control of being able to put a piece of my recipient into their card and I feel it makes this craft so special and unlike any other.  

This card is made with our ever popular Pool Party and the coordinating Bermuda Bay card stocks.  I've embossed the large butterfly with our Hammered Metal embossing folder, which is available in our Holiday Catalog.  I did use a retired piece of Glimmer Paper from a past SaleABration and I love it!  I love having so many options to add to my projects!  

This last card was made using my favorite "exciting" Gorgeous Grape and the coordinating Highland Heather.  The dancing lady is from Beautiful You.  I colored my bling with the Dark Highland Heather Stampin' Blend and colored sparkle onto my lady with Wink of Stella.  The white strips along the top and the bottom is Sparkle Glimmer Paper.

If you would like details with regard to measurements and instructions for assembling this Z-Fold card contact me through this post.  I appreciate your visiting my blog and look forward to seeing you again!  HAVE A GREAT DAY :)